The Vogue for Shantung Silk.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 9, 26 August 1908, Page 66

The Vogue for Shantung Silk.

Although it has no longer the charm of novelty to recotfimend it. Shantung silk still holds it own as on? of the favourite fabrics for smart race gowns. It has been nuuiufactured this season with such a wonderfully smooth and bright surface, and dyed in so many new and. lovely shades, that it has the appearance of a much richer fabric than the silk that was known as Shantung last year in fact, in some of the finer qualities, it close! v resembles a soft heavv satin.

Since it is also practically uncruslmble, it makes an ideal fabric for race-gowns, and it is safe to predict that among the most successful Ascot frocks there will be a great number made in Shantung silk, in pale shades of pink and lily-leaf green, as well as delicate tones of hydrangea mauve and blue, and the always becoming biscuit-col our. Our illustration represents a very simple but exceedingly effective race gown, carried out in lily leaf green Shantung of

a specially soft and silky kind. The skirt is made in the latest Princess moulded closely to the figure in the region of the waist, but flowing out afterwards into a long and graceful train. The design of the bodice is quite new, with its three straps crossing over in front and fastened with diamond buttons and satin rosettes. A wide strapping of the same silk outlines this Shanti,ng bodice, which is cut away to show an upper-bodice and sleeves of Alencou lace, tin* latter being crossed and recrossed by "silk trappings, and finished at the elbow with frills of chiffon. The pretty war in which the chemisette is continued, in the form of a high collarband, and carried up in a point under each ear, is worthy of note as being very significant of the mode of the moment. One of the newest picture hats, made in a very large size, will be worn with this dress. It is chosen in crinoline, matching exactly tile pale green colour of the'gown, lined underneath the brim with ivory-white taffetas mousseline, and adorned with a number of long and very full while ostrich feathers. Across the front there is a chain of large jet beads. © © ® Flower Favourites. Not for yoar.s past haw so many geraniums been employed for hat garnishing, and it is a fact worthy of note that they have eome into prominence with the queer reds bordering upon eerise, which brighten so much of the pre-ent day millinery. A black hat literally loaded with brilliant flowers is no b.mgcr an astonishing sight, and no one stares aghast at huge (lusters of hyacinths, horse chestnut b!i;«sonis or dandelions, those lather plehian blooms being now quite as commonly used as are dainty lilies of the valley, daisies, and pan-ies. Lilacs, however, are bidding for first place among floral trimmings, ami certainly theic is much to be said in their favour. In addition to absolute purity of whiteness, their natural tints arc of the fashionable mauve shades—purples never quite go out of date—and, therefore, they (oinbinc charmingly with the aristocratic looking orchid, which is seen on s ( » many of the latest Parisian importations. © e © Popularity of Velvet Bands. Ribbons in silk and velvet weaves ara very popular as trimmings of the slimmer bats. They are used for both wide and narrow bands or crowns, as rosettes and knots—in the latter instance with short loops and long, pointed ends. The velvet band is the favourite trimming of the sailor. It appeals strongly to the practical amateur as an adequate means of concealing the method by which she has raised the crown of last season’s Jiat to the requisite height of the present models. If contrasting trimmings are employed, as in the case of a natural coloured straw.-trimmed with emerald, two or three haff-inch wide velvet bands may define the crown, and the wide ribbon be used only as a side cluster oj; bandeau trimming.